Find Navy Sailing on Facebook

Association Leadership

Michael Christman
Executive Director

Mike Christman is the Executive Director of US Navy Sailing.  On the water Mike has been a lifelong sailor starting on the family's Alberg 30 on the Chesapeake Bay.  As a midshipman he competed on the Offshore Sailing team and was the team captain his senior year. His travels as a Naval Aviator and in Corporate life fortunately kept him on or near the water - racing Shields on Monterey Bay, J24s in Vancouver and Etchells on Sydney Harbor.  Closer to home Mike spends a majority of his time on his paddle board with family plying the waters around Annapolis and the occasional surf session at Assateague. In the real world Mike is the VP of Business Development at TAM Training providing training consulting to businesses using Oracle to run their enterprises.
 

Gavin Giddings
Secretary/Treasurer

CDR Gavin Giddings, USNR(ret) grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He didn't have much sailing experience until coming to the US Naval Academy. While there, he was a member of the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team and sailed a number of long distance races, including the Newport-Bermuda, Marion-Bermuda, Onion Patch Series, Marblehead-Halifax and many other races. He graduated with the class of 1982 with a BS in Naval Architecture and was commissioned an Ensign. He was designated a Naval Aviator and flew the Grumman A-6E Intruder.

After leaving the active duty service, he continued in the Naval Reserves in a variety of roles. Meanwhile, Gavin was hired as a pilot at American Airlines, where he continues to work as a captain on the Boeing 737. He has flown the 727, 737, 757, 767, 777 and MD-80 aircraft. CDR Giddings lives in Annapolis, MD and has been a member of USNSA since 1982, when he was encouraged to join during a trans-Atlantic voyage on the '65 sloop Enterprise by former Executive Director Captain Bob Mcwethy. Gavin joined the board of directors about 15 years ago and took over as the Secretary/Treasurer of both USNSA and the Foundation three years ago.

Archita de Leon
Executive Assistant